When I talk about how much I enjoyed Medellín, I often get surprised reactions. “Isn’t it very unsafe?” People still associate this vibrant city with its dark drug trafficking days under the rule of Pablo Escobar. Until recently, this city was considered a dangerous place. But big changes are happening in Medellín! For several years now, the city has a thriving flow of tourists. Sadly, parts of the city are still living in extreme poverty, and the effects of the past are still quite visible. But the energy and revitalization are hard to deny. I highly recommend a visit. Be part of what helps turn around the no-longer-relevant reputation, and help Medellin spark it’s economy with your visit. I promise, you will have a blast! Continue reading “Medellín ~ 6 Ways To Have A Blast In Today’s Greatest Latin American City”→

I don’t think I saw this region properly. I don’t often say that. But considering that the Inca Ruins were among the places that I was most excited to explore in South America, I have to be honest and say that if I ever do it a second time in life, I will do it differently. Don’t get me wrong, I had a wonderful time and am thrilled that I finally made it here. But those of you planning your Cusco trips, please learn from my mistakes! Continue reading “The Ruins of Cusco & The Sacred Valley – Learn From My Mistakes.”→

Having spent a full month just in Cusco, 1 blog post doesn’t seem like fair attention to this fascinating place. So I am going to break this up into 3 posts. This post is dedicated to the City of Cusco, as well as the Inti Raymi festival that I was lucky to be able to celebrate there.

When I first set my sights on South America, Machu Picchu felt like the pinnacle that had to be reached. My initial plan was to start in the South of Patagonia, and finish 4 months later in Cusco, the launching point for visitors from around the globe visiting the wondrous Inca ruins. That is not what happened. After 4 months, I hadn’t even reached Peru. So I returned to South America a second time, this time with 6 months to spare. The second time around, I still had my heart set on visiting Machu Picchu, but I no longer envisioned it as the climax of my journey. After being awestruck by so many unexpected things along my way, Machu Picchu became another exciting stop along a journey that would continue well beyond.Continue reading “Cusco, City and Celebration”→

Arequipa was my “Welcome to Peru” city. I had heard from repeated backpackers that the city center was really lovely, and that the nearby Colca Canyon was something that shouldn’t be missed on a good tour of Peru. So of course, I headed straight there. Continue reading “Arequipa & Colca Canyon, Peru”→

This was an incredible way to say goodbye to Bolivia after an incredible 3 months (4 if you count last year). I love this country beyond words! For my the final leg of my Bolivian journey, I visited Copacabana and Isla Del Sol. Continue reading “Copacabana & Isla Del Sol, Bolivia”→

When I was preparing for my second big South American adventure, many people asked me if I planned to revisit anywhere I had already been. For the most part, I was only interested in seeing new things. But there was one place I absolutely had my heart set on to revisit: Rurrenabaque, Bolivia. From the moment I left this town last year, I knew I hadn’t had enough. I needed more of the charming small town, more of the beautiful local people, and more of the Amazon. Continue reading “Rurre, Bolivia – Return to the Jungle”→

Iruya, pronounced to us non-Argentinian’s as “eh-roo-sha”, is incredibly beautiful. In fact, as you can see from my photos, it is damn near impossible to take a bad picture of this little mountain town. Continue reading “Iruya, Argentina”→

San Pedro de Atacama is a very small town in the middle of Chile’s Atacama desert. The town itself is a quaint, lovable desert town, like many of the small desert towns in this pocket of the world. But let’s be honest, people do not come to San Pedro for San Pedro. People come to San Pedro as a launching point to explore the vast and incredible surroundings of the Atacama desert. This is the driest place on earth.

Only a handful of people know that I embarked on my latest adventure. So let me apologize to all who get the message a little late. I am currently sitting in the domestic departures waiting area of the airport in Santiago, Chile (though by the time I am able to post this I will be elsewhere). I am waiting for my connecting flight that will take me to San Pedro De Atacama, where I will be staying for the next week while I explore the wonders of the Atacama Desert. Atacama is famous for being the driest place on Continue reading “South America, here I am!”→